What is the difference between sparkling wine and champagne?

Answer 1

All Champagnes are sparkling wines, but few sparkling wines are Champagne.

Champagne is the sparkling wine made in the Champagne region of France, the production of which is controlled by French law, limiting the grapes varieties used, method of production etc.

Excellent sparkling wines are made in other places, and they may be made by the same method, from the same grape varieties etc, but since they are not made in the Champagne region of France they are not Champagne.

The name Champagne is protected in the EU and most of the world. The USA allows the word to be used on wines made in the USA if the state name appears next to it, so you may have a wine called "New York champagne" - but it is not Champagne and since there is no restriction on the method of production it could have its fizz by injecting carbon dioxide.

Most ethical US producers do not use the word champagne, and they denote when the wine is made in the traditional method by using 'method champenoise' or fermented in this bottle.

Answer 2

It's all sparkling wine. Only the sparkling wine made in the Champagne region of France can be called Champagne, the rest is called sparkling wine.

Answer 3

There is no difference! All sparkling wines from the region in France, Champagne, are called Champagne. If a sparkling wine does not come from the region Champagne then you have to call it sparkling wine

Answer 4

Yes... Champagne is a region in France and has different guidelines than sparkling wines are made with. There are also different processes depending on what sparkling you are talking about (cheaper sparklings don't use the traditional champagne method). And of course depending on where the wine is from, they use different grapes

Answer 5

Champagne versus Sparkling Wine
Technically speaking, champagne is sparkling wine made in the Champagne region of France according to the traditional champagne method. The term champagne in California is often used generically to describe all sparkling wines and does not relate to any specific region of origin, as it does in France. Most producers in California call their bubbly sparkling wine even when it is made in the traditional method out of respect as well as to avoid confusion.

Spumante is the Italian term for sparkling wine.
Sekt is the German term for sparkling wine.
Cava is the Spanish term for sparkling wine.

Answer 6

Sparkling Wine is usually a "faux"champagne but made In the United States.

Champagne gets its name from the city of Champagne France. If the bottle isn't from that particular city, it is not a TRUE Champagne

Answer 7

Champagne is sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France.

Answer 8

Nothing essentially, the difference is Champagne is made in the Champagne region of France. If it is made anywhere else it must be called sparkling wine.

Answer 9

Champagne has what is called denomination of origin. Only when white, sparkling wine is made in this region of France may it be called champagne. Sparkling wine is made elsewhere.

Answer 10

Real Champagne is made from either Chardonnay grapes - Blanc de Blanc , white wine from white grapes or Pinot Noir Grapes - Blanc de Noir, white wine from red grapes. What distinguishes real Champagne from Sparkling wines is that real Champagne must be made using the Champagne Method or what shows up on the bottle "Methode Champegnoise The champagne method is very labor intensive and requires in bottle, all natural fermentation. Sparking wines on the other hand can be fermented in large steel vats and carbon dioxide can be added as needed. Quite a difference in labor costs.
The French - Unlike their American cousins- have extremely strict wine labeling laws. IF you have a bottle of French Champagne you know it was made using the Champagne Method and it is fronm Champagne proper..
if have a bottle of whte wine from the Burgundy region of France , French law says it can only contain Chardonnay grapes. Americans don't have such restrictions.